Europe :: England :: Bristol & Bath

Finished pieces?

DJPooka — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:33:06 +0000

Ok - so I'm posting this really early (heh - day 3 and all that), but having never done one of these things officially before I am kind of curious about this. Is there anywhere in particular that people upload the finished pieces to, or do most of you just hide them away on your hard drives, never to see the light of day?

Since mine is turning out reasonably well so far (if very cliched in places!) I'm quite happy to upload it when done to see what other people think, and I am curious about what other people are writing....
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Europe :: England :: Bristol & Bath

Pandilex — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:52:50 +0000

I can only guess everyone is at home in the evenings writing furiously like me...
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Europe :: England :: Bristol & Bath

Progress report?

markmapstone — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:04:34 +0000

Hows it going so far people?

Year 3 for me, a late start, a sketchy idea and writing in the first person pov for the first time! *nervous laughter.

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"Learn as much as I can, at whatever cost, then give it away for free and ask for nothing in return"

Europe :: England :: Bristol & Bath

For the Honour of Bristol and Bath

Tiylaya — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:52:56 +0000

I know a lot of us are finding our novels dragging this year - slow to start and difficult to keep moving. But just in case your own determination and motivation are dragging a little, I'd ask you all to think of the honour and pride of our fine cities.

Europe :: England :: Bristol & Bath is languishing down at number 138 in the total word count scoreboard, and even lower on the words per wrimo ranking. Surely we can manage to overtake Edinburgh? For that matter, even as a born Essex girl, I can't believe that the university towns of Bristol and Bath are incapable of overhauling Essex in the league table?

Now we're in the second half of the month, it's got to be time for an extra push to get our wayward novels back into line and make some progress with our word counts.

Elizabeth
(who seriously needs added motivation this year and decided to find some. NaNoWriMo is not going to win this year's battle - I am!)
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Europe :: England :: Bristol & Bath

BRISTOL WRITE-IN - TEMPORARY NEW LOCATION

Swisstony — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:02:16 +0000

Ok, so there's one little fly in the ointment that is Watershed write-ins. Every November, without a single thought for us poor frantic Nanoers, the Watershed Cinema plays host to a short film festival, and as a result of all the hordes of people who flood into the place to enjoy, well, short films, it temporarily becomes a lot less conducive to the write-in situation.

Last year we relocated to Mackenzie's, for one night only. It's not quite as great as the Watershed, but they do still serve beer, wine and juice, and the food isn't too bad. Also, last year they very kindly put a big long table aside for us, and turned a blind eye to us leeching mains power for our overworked laptops.

I've called and asked if we can do the same this year, and although I'm sure it'll be fine again, it hasn't been confirmed. I'll post on here to let everyone know, but if I don't hear from them, we might as well turn up there anyway.

Oh yeah - Mackenzie's is the bar that's just a couple of units along the waterfront from the Watershed, so nobody even needs to think about different bus routes or alternative car-parking. Hurrah!

Russ
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ML - Bristol & Bath Region, UK.
Procrastinating madly since 2004

Europe :: England :: Bristol & Bath

Word count shout-outs

Lost Wanderer — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 23:00:54 +0000

A place to brag/scream/yell about our local word count progress ...come on Bristolians and Bathians get ready!!

Exactly 1 Hour 1 Minute till 12:01
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Writing Blog - www.lostwanderer5.blogspot.com
Journaling Blog - www.journal-addict.blogspot.com

Europe :: England :: Bristol & Bath

Water(shed) flask

thevoodoobuddha — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 21:27:30 +0000

Hi all,

In the mass exodus from the watershed, to get home in time for doctor who did someone leave a thermos flask behind? If so we handed it in to the bar staff, should be waiting for you whenever you want to pick it up, though i doubt the water will still be hot.

hope ever ones nano is going well, managed to get up to only halfway behind today. though ploting out the next few thousand words of scenes may help me catch up.

Gav.
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Europe :: England :: Bristol & Bath

Anyone else out?

Pandilex — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:53:37 +0000

I declare defeat today at 17,000 words. My original plot wasn't (it turns out) ambitious enough, and I ended up finishing it all with 66% of my novel left to go.

It's a shame because until I hit this point a couple of days ago, I was enjoying it and really making progress.

Now I just struggle for hours and end up writing barely any words in a vain attempt to stretch it out, and it's just not fun anymore.

Better luck next year for me, I'll be writing an epic saga of a plot first, so there will be no chance of struggling with 50,000 words;)

Anyone else in a similar boat?
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Europe :: England :: Bristol & Bath

Bath Write-Ins

catharsist316 — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:20:27 +0000

Bristol Write-Ins have been well established but Bath Write-Ins have never been very successful. I'm prepared to give it a go again this year though. As such, I propose we organise one and see what happens:

The Assembly Inn
Thursday 5th November
From 6pm onwards.

I'll put up a sign on my laptop or something so you can find us.

See you there!
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"It's not easy having a good time. Even smiling makes my face ache."

Europe :: England :: Bristol & Bath

Meets

Pandilex — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 11:36:06 +0000

This may be premature and not my place but let's get something organised!!!

My enthusiasm is far too high...
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Europe :: England :: Bristol & Bath

Officially halfway!

Swisstony — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 23:55:51 +0000

Well, it's very very nearly officially halfway period of joy that is Nanowrimo (it may even actually be halfway by the time some of you read this) and it occurred to me that it's been entirely too long since I did the whole inspirational thread thing.

Firstly, it's been really great to see such an increase in people hurling themselves into this madness. Three years ago (or four Nanowrimos ago), Bristol didn't even have a Nanowriom chapter, and the number of people taking part has been getting steadily more impressive year on year. Not only are there more of you (or us) having a go at Nanowrimo, there are more people this year than ever before coming along to write-ins, which is really heartening to see.

Now, here's the main thing. Every one of you has done something amazing. Really, you have. I know of at least one person in the reason who's already on the verge of finishing. I know her well, and she's a word machine. Don't let the fact that some people are already finishing and it's halfway through the month put you off. Just keep going. If you manage a thousand words, or ten thousand, or a hundred thousand by the end of the month, then you've done something that a massive percentage of the population wouldn't even consider trying.

Lots of people start the London Marathon. Lots of them make it to the end. Lots get beaten part of the way around the course by cramps, or dehydration, or exhaustion, but they all give it their best go. Nanowrimo's pretty much the same as that - Nobody's going to judge you if you get to the end of the month with a thousand words to go, or five thousand words to go, or forty-five thousand words to go. Well, you might judge yourself, but that's just bad karma. As far as I'm concerned, you tried, and that's what's important. And if you don't make it to that glorious fifty thousand? Well, there'll be another Nanowrimo along in 2010, for you to have another go at.

Turn off your inner editor, stop worrying about random plot-holes, forget about the fact that you don't know how the science would need to work in order for your hero to make a cake that can fly, and just get a bunch of words written. There's a time and a place for going over what you've written and making sure that all the sentences fit and make sense, and that the plot flows from one scene to the next without confusing the reader - it's called The Rest Of The Year, and it's the reason we have eleven months in between each Nanowrimo.

To put that in a practical way, I've just done a two-hour portrait photo-session. In that two hours I've taken about a hundred and fifty pictures. Of those pictures, there are probably twenty keepers, but if I'd checked absolutely every picture as I went along and deleted anything that wasn't a keeper, the shoot would've lasted twice as long, and I'd have maybe ten pictures to keep. The photo-session is a time to just take a big load of pictures, and then when I've finished, and the lights and the backdrops are packed away, and my model's gone home to have a glass of wine, that's the time for going through them, deleting the ones that didn't work, and processing the ones that did. Nanowrimo's pretty much like that, but without the cameras, and the model, and with words instead of lights. And with no backdrops. And it lasts for a month, and not two hours. And it only happens once a year. Ah, you get what I mean though, right?

Just. Keep. On. Writing. :)

Russ.

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ML - Bristol & Bath Region, UK.
Procrastinating madly since 2004

Europe :: England :: Bristol & Bath

Officially the first NaNoBlues thread...

jajderian — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:02:15 +0000

Anyone with me already in the dark side of NanoWriMo? Considering picking up a guitar and singing about how you woke up this morning...
Damn, now I want to go write a song about writers' block, what a great way to procrastinate!
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2008 - Running On Faith - 62k
2009 - Dead Letters - ??

Europe :: England :: Bristol & Bath

Google Wave?

markmapstone — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:56:25 +0000

Anyone on it?

It's lonely in here. Would be nice to find a writer on this thing. Add me on chilledheatmark@gmail.com

merci - mark
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"Learn as much as I can, at whatever cost, then give it away for free and ask for nothing in return"

Europe :: England :: Bristol & Bath

Tonight's write-in!

Alaerien — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:17:12 +0000

I'm early again and here in the Watershed at table 8. Join me, there is cake! :D
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Europe :: England :: Bristol & Bath

Twittererer's?

markmapstone — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:20:08 +0000

It's like, the 'now' thing innit?

#nanowrimo isn't on the trending topic yet - but I might if we all tag it up.

the Twits are excellent for continual motivation / distraction. Anyone else monkeying about on it?

add me: @markmapstone
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"Learn as much as I can, at whatever cost, then give it away for free and ask for nothing in return"

Europe :: England :: Bristol & Bath

Article about NaNo

josiekin — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:42:53 +0000

Hi all,

I am putting together an article about NaNo and would like to give it a Bristol / Bath focus. I don't know for who I'm writing it yet but would be great to get a local feel to it. Would anyone like to volunteer any stories about perhaps finishing some work and getting it published or meeting friends through the writing etc?

Any thoughts are helpful.

take care
Joanna
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Europe :: England :: Bristol & Bath

Hello all!

Ottervinn — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:13:37 +0000

This is just an introductory post, so I will wave frantically in front of my computer screen in greeting.

My name is Vinnie, and I'm 18, this is my first ever Nano, although I've been to lots of writing workshops in the past.

Check my profile for info on the story I'm writing, since I have that word limit to reach and no time to procrastinate!

Oh and please don't kill me, but... since there's no group that I could find for south Somerset... (i.e., Taunton, Bridgwater, Glastonbury), I came here as the poor little displaced orphan. Please be kind to me! :D I may be from Bridgwater, but, I am childless without a drug addiction! XD

X
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Europe :: England :: Bristol & Bath

The Big Kick-Off Party

Swisstony — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:05:14 +0000

Ok folks, it's time I divulged some of the plans which have been not only fulminating but also formulating and fermenting in my mind (it's a scary place in there, I tell ya!) regarding this year's BKO party.

November the First is being extremely convenient and kind to us this year, by falling on a Sunday. Since the traditional times for the write-ins are Thursday nights and Sunday afternoons, I'm planning this year's kick-off event for the first of November.

I reckon most of the region's Nanowrimo regulars already know where the Watershed is, and since it's helpfully located in an easy-to-find location in central Bristol and a mere 15 minutes' walk from the train station (for those heading in from out-of-town) it's the ideal location to carry on holding write-ins. Besides, they've got used to us over the years, and are now very amenable to our presence. Pretty decent food is available, from small snack-foods to proper meals, and there's an abundance of beers, ciders, wines, and soft-drinks and hot beverages., They also have nice cakes. It's a very relaxed place, with an atmosphere conducive to write-ins.

So - Sunday, the First of November for this year's kick-off, from about 2pm and running unitl everybody's decided to head home and get their heads down to some serious writing.

This year, to make things even easier, I'm trying to persuade their events team to let us use one of their meeting rooms. I don't know whether it's going to happen though, because they normally charge for the use of the rooms, and since we're not an organisation that's exactly rolling in cash (or even an organisation, really) I'm relying on them having an attack of kindness and throwing us a freebie.

For those who haven't been before, here's a link to the location of the Watershed - http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&cl...

A vague indication of numbers would be helpful, so if you're planning to come along, please sing out!

Cheers,

Russ.
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ML - Bristol & Bath Region, UK.
Procrastinating madly since 2004

Europe :: England :: Bristol & Bath

Welcome, or welcome back!

Swisstony — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 21:34:07 +0000

So the site's been reset, and all the forums (fora?) have been cleared of last year's desperate pleas for mercy. I guess this is the point where I give in to my juvenile urges and shout "FIRST!!"

Okay - introduction time. I'm your friendly Municipal Liaison, it's my job to kind of guide you through the annual month-long insanity that is Nanowrimo - I'll be here for encouragement, advice, inspiration, and tips on how to procrastinate wildly.

This year will be my sixth Nanowrimo, and my second as Municipal Liaison. I live in sunny Weston-super-Mare, about ten minutes from the beach (so about an hour from the sea) with my two cats, some motorbikes, a few cameras and too many guitars - if there is such a thing - and I work in Bristol.

In my spare time I fly kites, play a number of musical instruments, and I'm just in the process of shifting from amateur photography to freelance photography. I'm also involved with the Bristol Haematology and Oncology Centre's Care Appeal - trying to raise over a million and a half quid to transform the building and environment at the BHOC - I'll stop shamelessly promoting it now... ;-)

Anyway - tell me (and everybody else) about yourself, and what you're doing for this year's Nanowrimo..

Russ.

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ML - Bristol & Bath Region, UK.
Procrastinating madly since 2004

Europe :: England :: Bristol & Bath

Nice to See You....

Swisstony — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:44:17 +0000

...To see you, nice!

I just wanted to say a big "Thank you" to all the people who managed to make it to the first write-in and kick-off party at The Watershed yesterday. It was really good to see so many people there, especially all the new faces, and I have to say that I think it was the writingest write-in that I've ever attended. I even broke my record by writing over 500 words in the afternoon myself!

And to all those people who weren't able to make it - don't worry, you're every bit as important to Nanowrimo, and to the Bristol & Bath region as the people who did, and hopefully you'll be able to make to one of the twice-weekly sessions in Bristol, or the sessions in Bath (if they're well-enough attended to continue after this Thursday), or the TFIAO party at the end of the month when we can finally stop typing and just immerse ourselves in the world of hot chocolate, chunky chips, wine or beer..

Thanks again, and keep writing!

Russ.
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ML - Bristol & Bath Region, UK.
Procrastinating madly since 2004

Europe :: England :: Bristol & Bath

affiliates

czw — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 20:07:25 +0000

Hi Folks,
Have just joined - can you tell me how to see the affiliates in Regions? It keepstelling me I can't.....
Be good to get chatting to some other people attempting this Herculean task.
Clare
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Europe :: England :: Bristol & Bath

Are you starting NaNo at Midnight?

Lost Wanderer — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 22:40:40 +0000

Just watching X Men Last Stand, while waiting for midnight to begin NaNoing. When are you planning to start writing? I hoping to get at least little bit done before attending kick-off tomorrow.
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Writing Blog - www.lostwanderer5.blogspot.com
Journaling Blog - www.journal-addict.blogspot.com

Europe :: England :: Bristol & Bath

Kicking Off - final details.

Swisstony — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:30:37 +0000

Well folks, I had a very disappointing email this very afternoon. Unfortunately, due to the booking requirements of the "Africa Eye" festival which is taking place there this weekend, they're not able to let us have a dedicated room to ourselves. That shouldn't be too much of a blow though - we can still hang out and sprawl across multiple tables, and it also means for those who find walking into a room full of people a little daunting, the daunticity of having to walk into the room is avoided, because we have no room for you to walk into and feel thusly daunted..

So - I'm planning to be at the Watershed from about 2pm onwards. I've no idea what I'll be wearing yet - it's possible that I'll go for something really obvious, like a Nanowrimo t-shirt, but I'll make sure I have a sign up somewhere, so it's obvious where the Nanowrimo gathering is.

For those who've never been, or who don't know Bristol, The Watershed is here:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&cl...

When you get to the top of the stairs, turn right to go into the bar/cafe area, the Nanowrimo gathering will either be in the big square area that you have to walk through to get to the bar, or the long corridor-type part that you'll get to if you walk straight through the bar/cafe bit and out the other end.

I'm looking forward to seeing as many of you as can make it - and for those who aren't able to make it, there's always this forum, and the write-in sessions too.

Two days to go!

Russ.
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ML - Bristol & Bath Region, UK.
Procrastinating madly since 2004

Europe :: England :: Bristol & Bath

Now that's a Novel Idea...

Freelancecynic — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:20:28 +0000

I know that we've already kind of covered this in the 'Welcome' thread, but I think we need a thread just about your ideas for Nano this year.
This way all of our Nano story plots can be in one place, which make it easier to flick through and see some of the wonderful ideas people are planning to bring to life this Nano.

It will also make it easier for me to flick through and your ideas and steal the best bits.

Anyway, here's my novel idea to be brough to life this November.

Out-Dated Deities
Raslin has just lost his lost believer, which is annoying because he's pretty sure he had him this morning. Now, like all Gods who have ran out of believers he is shipped off to a home. Elysian Fields is the home for Gods that have lost their believers. Powerless and impotent (much to the frustrration of the goddess of Lust) they spend their days bickering, playing Bingo and watching countdown ('Although it's not so good since that Carol left').

Raslin however is not prepared to give up just yet.

Armed with the help of long standing Raslin Atheist Marcus, the grumpy deities, and their 3 headed pet dog, Andrew, Raslin must preach, fight and scam his way back to the top.
And to do that he might just need to take on the greatest scammer of them all...

What's your idea?
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'An interesting character' - Russ Dallen (Bristol and Bath ML)
'Just as weird as the rest of us' - Chris 'The Skoot' Hill

Europe :: England :: Bristol & Bath

What did you enjoy most about the Write-Ins?

Lost Wanderer — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 22:09:08 +0000

This is my first year doing NaNo, and I don't have any experience of Write-Ins. I have been to several saturday workshops, but that was different because I didn't work on my book there.

So for the veterns amongst you, what did you like the most about the previous write-ins you attended?
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Writing Blog - www.lostwanderer5.blogspot.com
Journaling Blog - www.journal-addict.blogspot.com